Choroidal thickness changes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with hydroxychloroquine using three...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Rheumatology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease.
• Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is a common treatment for SLE.
• Choroidal thickness (CT) can be affected by systemic conditions and medications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare choroidal thickness (CT) in patients with SLE on HCQ treatment versus healthy controls.
• To investigate potential variations in CT related to HCQ use in SLE patients.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study comparing 60 SLE patients on HCQ (≥1 year) with 54 age-matched healthy controls.
• Macular CT measured using swept-source optical coherence tomography (Triton Topcon).
• CT analyzed in 25 zones to create 3D maps; one eye per participant studied.

Main Results:

• SLE patients on HCQ exhibited thicker choroidal zones (9, 14, 15, 19, 20) in central nasal locations compared to controls.
• No significant differences were found in age, axial length, intraocular pressure, or spherical equivalent between groups.
• Neither SLE duration nor HCQ treatment duration influenced CT values.

Conclusions:

• Patients with SLE on long-term HCQ treatment demonstrate increased choroidal thickness, particularly in nasal areas.
• Choroidal thickness changes in SLE patients on HCQ are not correlated with disease duration or medication duration.
• Nasal choroidal zones appear most sensitive to CT variations in SLE patients on HCQ.